Turbocharging Cable — Move Over Fiber!

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If there’s one technology cable providers love, it’s DOCSIS 3.1
(Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification), the latest standard
in the CATV industry. While 5G is
grabbing all the headlines, DOCSIS 3.1 (thank goodness for acronyms) is
helping turbocharge many of the world’s cable systems. DOCSIS 3.1
delivers gigabit speeds today, increasing effective downstream data rates
from 160 Mbps to 10 Gbps and upstream data rates from
120 Mbps to 1 Gbps, when compared to its predecessor
DOCSIS 3.0.

DOCSIS 3.1 has helped breathe new life into an industry that’s
increasingly threatened by cord cutters. It has allowed cable operators
to deliver Gigabit broadband services to customers by easily
retrofitting existing systems, without the exorbitant cost (and hazard) of
digging or other cable-laying. The industry’s transition to
DOCSIS 3.1 is well under way, with cable leader Comcast claiming D3.1
penetration of nearly 60 million homes and businesses.

CableLabs is hard at work on the next generation of DOCSIS, which we all
know will be called…?

Good guess, but no, it’s not DOCSIS 3.2. The next flavor of
cable, also known as extended spectrum DOCSIS, is rumored to be
DOCSIS 4.0. Experts speculate that this
upgraded standard could provide symmetrical broadband speeds as high as 30 to
60 Gbps and may not be too far off.

According to industry analyst firm Rethink
Technology, while most of the world is expected to use fiber technology
for Gigabit broadband delivery by 2023, the U.S. is expected to predominantly
use DOCSIS 3.1. Yep, good ol’ cable. DOCSIS 3.1 is helping
turbocharge the cable industry, and more “horsepower adders” are
on the way!

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About the Author

Brent DietzDirector of Corporate Communications

Brent has seen a lot of engineering and technology during 30+ years in the tech industry. His primary role is making geek-speak understandable to the non-geek public, reporters and nontechnical analysts. It's challenging — simplifying without distorting — and it helps to have a sense of humor. Brent does, which he shares with readers from time to time.